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INSIDE STORY: In December councillors Duffy, Floyd and Peterson voted in support of the Orange Rainbow Festival. Who - or what - changed their minds?
March 9, 2024
By Peter Holmes
On Tuesday night in a packed Orange City Council (OCC) chamber, three middle-aged white men - led by councillor Kevin Duffy - tried to influence how parents in the city raise their children.
They mightn’t have put it that way themselves, but that was the upshot of their decision to try and force OCC to withdraw its support for the Orange Rainbow Festival, which is on from March 22 to 24, 2024.
It was an extraordinary overreach, and one that was doomed to fail. And fail it did, with council voting 9-3 to toss Duffy’s motion in the trash.
The three middle-aged white men - hey, I’m in that demographic, so hold fire - were councillors Duffy, Glenn Floyd and Steve Peterson.
Orange Rainbow Festival is for young queer people of all stripes, and those allies who want to express their solidarity.
The trio’s major concerns about the festival appeared to relate to young people transitioning (the T in LGBTQIA+) and Rainbow Storytime, an event where a drag queen reads children’s books to children who have been brought along by parents or carers.
Orange City Council doesn’t set national or state health policy, and it can be argued that arguing about youth who transition had no place in a regional Australian council chamber.
And yet on Tuesday night that’s exactly what happened. Not surprisingly, council found itself the subject of national interest.
RAINBOW Storytime really grinds the gears of many who oppose the Orange Rainbow Festival.
The storytime book reading concept has triggered people around the country, leading to council staff, councillors and drag performers facing threats and coordinated protests, and the cancellation of readings.
On February 6, 2024, the ABC released a statement about the cancellation of a Drag Queen Story Time event. It was to be filmed at Rockdale Library as part of the ABC’s Mardi Gras coverage.
“The ABC condemns the hateful and offensive response we have received from some individuals in response to the callout for this event,” it said.
“The event will no longer be held at the Rockdale Library and the ABC is considering how we can safely host it.
“The ABC invited families from within the LGBTQIA+ community to participate in a Drag Queen Story Time event ... These events are designed for families and are regularly held in public spaces.
“The ABC is the official host broadcaster for the 2024 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. As part of this partnership the ABC showcases the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community, aligning with its Charter obligation to reflect all Australians.”
The idea of a man dressed as a woman reading books to children generally aged three to nine unshackles a primal fear in some people. They see themselves as the protectors, and believe only bad things can happen by taking children to such an event.
The fact that the events are generally ticketed (even if free) and therefore only attended by parents or carers who want to be there, appeared to be of little concern to Duffy, Floyd and Peterson.
No, they were there on behalf of the children, and if that meant influencing what other residents can and can’t take their kids to see, then so be it.
IN September 2023 Bathurst drag queen Betty Confetti was booked to perform Rainbow Storytime at Orange City Library on a Saturday afternoon.
A small campaign led to emails and letters being sent to councillors protesting the event. Progressive councillors Melanie McDonell and David Mallard have spoken about what they described as the disgusting nature of some of the correspondence.
It was a sign of things to come.
The Orange News Examiner attended the September reading to see what all the fuss was about. Other than McDonell, no councillors were there. Some had opinions, but they didn’t manage to turn up and see for themselves what went on.
You can read our story about the reading here.
Essentially, it was held at the back of the library, was ticketed, and attended only by those parents and carers who wanted to be there. The books were harmless and the type of things any parents would read to any child.
There were no police reports of anyone being dragged off the street, across south court, tied to a chair at the back of the library, and made to watch the reading.
In the wake of Rainbow Storytime at the library, councillor Steve Peterson moved a motion in October 2023 that councillors be informed of any potentially “controversial” events in the city that council was in any way associated with.
Peterson didn’t appreciate the fact he was copping community flak for something he had nothing to do with. In future, he wanted to know in advance about any “controversial” issues.
The chamber voted with Peterson, and it became policy that council's CEO David Waddell was charged with having to decide what might or might not be viewed as controversial by the 12 elected councillors in the chamber.
At the council meeting in question, Waddell did not appear overwhelmed with enthusiasm at being lumbered with this extra responsibility. What is controversial? What isn’t?
Is the circus controversial? Is a scene in a play at Orange Civic Theatre controversial? Is an artist or artwork at the gallery controversial? Do we want the CEO and - ultimately - councillors deciding what we can and can’t see?
It’s not known how many potentially “controversial” matters have been brought to the attention of councillors since last October, but you could safely assume that vetting artworks and theatrical scripts and LGBTQIA+ festivals and so forth hasn't been a top order of business for Waddell, who would not comment for this story.
ON Tuesday night around 300 people turned up to Orange City Council. They were in the gallery, a room off the gallery, and in the foyer of the theatre. It was an extraordinary display of democracy in action. A historic night.
The Orange News Examiner watched from a media section in the council chamber. Rarely had so many reporters, photographers and camera people been wedged in together.
The clear majority of people upstairs were there to support the festival. One of three police officers on hand to quell to any disturbances told us that the clear majority in the theatre foyer were also there to back the festival.
Eighteen of 26 public speakers were in favour of the Orange Rainbow Festival. They talked of inclusion, acceptance and love.
The eight who spoke against included Sydney professor John Whitehall, and Kris Dhillon from the Orange Christian Alliance.
You can read our recent interview with Kris Dhillon here, and Whitehall’s response to that story here.
Two female speakers claimed without evidence to represent Orange’s silent conservative majority, and delivered what appeared to be the same speech, which veered off into the Voice referendum, and urged parents to get kids off devices and get outdoors, as if that might perhaps stop all this confusion and gayness and transitioning.
A man on video link said he had been lured into homosexuality as a teenager and been sexually assaulted on a number of occasions. He feared for young people in Orange who he felt could be taken advantage of.
Then came time for the councillors to debate Duffy’s motion calling for Orange City Council to completely withdraw from the festival.
Duffy delivered a rambling and at times incoherent speech. As the man who lit the fuse, he didn’t appear as well prepared as he might have been.
Playing what appeared to be the role of moral guardian, Duffy said that he objected to Rainbow Storytime, the book My Shadow is Pink, and children transitioning, and claimed he wouldn’t have had a problem with council endorsing a festival like the Mardi Gras in Sydney, for adults only.
He babbled about how Rainbow Storytime should be R-rated, and expressed concern about men in g-strings entertaining children. It was a poor performance that seemed aimed squarely at a certain constituency.
The Rainbow Storytime event in the festival is to feature different books to those read at Orange Library.
The books to be read at the festival - My Shadow Is Pink and My Shadow Is Blue - are either viewed as harmless stories about inclusion and diversity, or dangerous how-to guides that could confuse a child or convince them they should consider transitioning. Duffy said he had listened to both as audiobooks, and he did not approve.
Councillor Glenn Floyd was the next to strap on a superhero cape and put his hand up to save the children.
“I have received over 260 emails and at least 10 phones calls in last two months from local residents regarding this festival,” he said.
“Numerous concerns have been raised in relation to the storytime element of this event, during which I understand two books will be read. To make an informed decision I have read both books in their totality.
“Having read those books, which are to be read to children in a public domain, children as young as three, I find this scenario inappropriate. I question why people in the three to nine age are being privy to the information in these books. To do so could possibly cause unnecessary confusion, with mental health being a major social issue."
Floyd went on to say that it “is critical to assess what vulnerable young minds are subjected to, and when and where it is appropriate to introduce them to certain subjects".
“I believe that in no way we should be exposing children to this type of behaviour adjustment learning at such a young age," Floyd said.
"As a council I say we should be distancing ourselves from this, and as a parent I say just let kids be kids - they grow up too fast anyway.”
Floyd was telling the parents and carers of Orange what was and wasn’t appropriate for their children. What their kids - not his - should and shouldn’t see and hear.
It takes certain chutzpah for any parent to tell another how to raise their kids, if they’re not breaking any laws. To try and dictate to the whole city was something else again.
In response, a number of community members have said to The Orange News Examiner that if Floyd, Duffy and Peterson truly wanted to ensure council doesn’t ever support anything that could potentially “indoctrinate” young children, they should withdraw their support for religious events such as Carols at Christmas. To do otherwise, they argued, would be hypocritical.
COUNCILLOR Steve Peterson was the third councillor to vote against OCC’s involvement in the Rainbow Festival on Tuesday night.
Of the three, he was clearly the most torn. Following the vote, as the public gallery dispersed and councillors took a short break, Peterson appeared a little green around the gills, and shocked and saddened by what had just occurred. That it had come to this.
As a man with a disability who had vowed to represent minorities on council, Peterson’s vote caused confusion and upset in sections of the community.
“I’m very sorry we’ve had to do this this way,” Peterson told his fellow councillors, before moving on to blame council staff for the controversy.
“I think the Rainbow Festival has indeed united all of Orange, just through a shared disappointment and anger towards [council], and I share it too," Peterson began. "I think this is probably the lowest point in our brief council time.
“I feel we could have avoided some - but probably not all - of that harm with some transparency and accountability earlier on.
“I really think we could have been transparent by giving the community via their elected councillors a say in the festival much earlier than today. Last October the chamber voted 9-2 that elected representatives would have the ability to discuss issues that were going to be controversial to the community.”
Peterson was basically telling his fellow councillors “I told you so”.
“This disaster is a self-inflicted disaster and tonight vindicates my reasoning,” he said.
Peterson then made a crucial statement: “Had we discussed it a few months ago, the festival still would’ve happened, the mathematics is very clear, but maybe we could have had some quieter, low-emotion discussion before we organised, booked or decided on anything.
“Maybe we could have heard some views, changed people’s minds, made changes, seen what other councils have done, taken people with us and, probably importantly, give people a chance to conscientiously object.
“I don’t think we would’ve ended up in a circle of agreement singing Kumbaya … but at least we wouldn’t have had the debate on the national news, and I think the individual harm that’s clearly been caused tonight would have been much less, and same with the reputational harm.”
The fact, however, is that Orange City Council staff had raised the issue.
THE December 5, 2023 OCC council meeting contained committee reports.
Councillors don’t just sit on council, but also on committees that meet separately. Each committee - Environmental Sustainability, Finance, Infrastructure, Planning and Development, Employment and Economic Development, Sport and Recreation, and Services - prepares a report that is published in the OCC papers.
At council meetings where committee reports are tabled, the mayor Jason Hamling passes the baton to each committee chair, who takes the mayoral seat. Matters arising can be discussed and debated, or the committee reports can be waved through without anybody saying anything.
At the December 5, 2023 meeting, the Services Policy Committee report contained information about the Orange Rainbow Festival.
It was right at the end of the document, starting on page 105.
Under the heading “Report on Rainbow Festival” was a report written by a council director to councillors.
“Orange City Council secured $125,800 funding from the NSW Government for the conduct of a Rainbow Festival to celebrate and support LGBTQIA+ young people and to increase tolerance in the community,” it stated.
“The festival is funded under The Our Region, Our Voice - Regional Youth Investment Program which was established in June 2022 by the NSW Government to deliver tailored investments and local projects that enhance the lives and wellbeing of regional youth and support them to live their best life and thrive within their local communities.”
The report went on to state that part of council’s responsibility was to “Deliver cultural facilities and programs that reflect the interests of a culturally diverse community”.
It said the financial implications were “nil” and under the heading “Further Considerations” said: “Consideration has been given to the recommendation’s impact on Council’s service delivery; image and reputation; political; environmental; health and safety; employees; stakeholders and project management; and no further implications or risks have been identified.”
The report stated that the Orange Rainbow Festival “delivers on Council’s Community Strategic Plan Objective 3: A friendly environment where people feel safe and included and support for LGBTQIA+ community. The main outcome of the project is for Young LGBTQIA to feel supported by the Orange community and report improved mental health”.
The staff director’s report to councillors said the event would “include” a welcome event, markets, mental health stalls and workshops, music, competitions, a street parade, a street disco and a Sunday BBQ.
It included letters of support from state MPs Phil Donato and Sam Farraway and federal MP Andrew Gee, and from Marathon Health (Headspace), Lives Lived Well, OLALC, LikeMind, Mission Australia, Orange United Sports Club and Orange Youth Action Council.
ON TUESDAY night three middle-aged white men may have tried to inflict their personal beliefs on the city, but they were voted down by nine others councillors.
To see middle-aged white men like mayor Jason Hamling, Tony Mileto and Jeff Whitton speak from the heart in favour of a queer festival in Orange was remarkable.
Could you imagine a majority of blokes on any Orange City Council that came before doing likewise?
Given Hamling’s predecessor Reg Kidd was against the festival, it’s hard to conjure.
Hamling and Mileto, in particular, were clearly moved and showed guts to stare down those who wanted to disrupt the festival. Their speeches impressed many.
Councillor Frances Kinghorne expressed concerns over one of the two books, but had sought advice from experts. And she has a more libertarian, live and let live perspective.
Councillor Jack Evans is of a generation that cares a lot less about people’s sexuality than older generations. His anger towards Duffy was genuine.
Councillor Tammy Greenhalgh is no pinko, but she began by admonishing the chamber, expressing disgust that a matter such as this would be used to inflame a community in 2024.
Councillors David Mallard and Melanie McDonell are fierce advocates for the festival, and both spoke eloquently. McDonell was clearly appalled by Duffy’s decision to bring the motion to the chamber.
Which left deputy mayor Gerald Power. Power has grown as an orator in his time on council. He is a man not afraid of emotions or shedding a tear.
Power spoke about how, 40 years ago, he had left Queensland and was looking for a place to call home. Somewhere that would accept a blackfella for who he was, not the colour of his skin.
He said he found it in Orange. Breaking down, he pressed his palms together and faced the gallery, saying he wanted our queer people to feel that same sense of belonging here in the Colour City.
COULD the distress caused by this debate have been avoided?
At 7:38pm on December 5, 2023, Melanie McDonell moved into the mayor’s seat to chair the Services Policy Committee section of the meeting.
After working through other items on the agenda McDonell reached the Rainbow Festival report, as detailed above. The report was moved by councillor David Mallard and seconded by deputy mayor Gerald Power.
McDonell then opened the floor for discussion.
Mallard asked about the dates of the festival. Director Scott Maunder rose to answer the question, saying he thought it was in late February or early March.
“That’s great, good that it’s coming up,” said Mallard. “I know it’s been in the works for a while. Councillor McRae in the previous council was a proponent of this sort of event as well. [McRae declined to comment.]
“I think it’s really important - recent events have shown me that transphobia and homophobia still exist in our community, unfortunately. We need to do what we can to support that community … to promote acceptance and inclusivity.”
Councillor Steve Peterson then asked whether grant funding to OCC for the Our Region, Our Voice - Regional Youth Investment Program was enough to cover other projects in the city, such as upgrading Orange Youth Hub.
Maunder told the councillors that in total council had received around $880,000, and that the festival was only a part of that.
Councillor Greenhalgh then spoke: “I fully support this. I think this will be an absolutely fabulous event. Everyone in our community has the right to be themselves.”
She then suggested local schools may be able to get involved. “I think this is about educating this generation about acceptance and breaking down that stigma.”
McDonell was next: “I think it is unfortunate that there is hatred and discrimination directed towards our LGBTGIA+ members. This is a really good opportunity for us as a council and community to show we do support every member of our community.”
No other councillor wanted to speak, and so McDonell put it to the vote.
Unanimously, all 12 councillors voted in support of noting the staff report regarding the Orange Rainbow Festival.
SO what exactly changed between December 2023 and February 2024?
The key question here is: Did councillors know exactly what they were voting on in December?
In hindsight, there were two key elements absent from the council director’s report to councillors last year - Rainbow Storytime, and any mention of drag queens.
The report outlined pretty much else everything else happening at the festival.
There are several other questions.
Did OCC staff know drag queens and Rainbow Storytime were part of the youth festival, but deliberately not mention them in the December 2023 report to councillors?
If so, why? Was it to avoid a damaging public debate?
And if not, why had they not been told?
The drag events at the festival have featured prominently in promotional materials, but were they late additions to the schedule, tacked on after council had written its December report?
Would inclusion of these events in the staff report to councillors last year have meant matters could have been debated out of the spotlight, perhaps in a closed meeting?
Given the fracas over Betty Confetti last September and October, and councillors’ demand to know about “controversial” events well in advance, did councillors only learn about Rainbow Storytime when the festival was launched a few weeks ago?
If Kevin Duffy had a problem with young people transitioning, why didn’t he raise it in December?
Were some councillors spooked in February by the coordinated campaign against the festival organised by the five-member Orange Christian Alliance?
Why - during the meeting on Tuesday night - was it announced to the chamber and the gallery that a drag queen would no longer participate in Rainbow Storytime? Who had made this call, and why?
The Orange News Examiner has sought clarification from council on relevant matters.
Whatever the facts, the result of these omissions was that when promotion for the festival began in February 2024, leaning in on Rainbow Storytime and drag queens, a tinderbox was set to explode.